Description:
The high energy physics program has continued its experimental activities over. In CDF, the Texas A M group has led an effort to design an upgrade for the silicon vertex detector, and is currently working with the rest of the collaboration on the next major data taking run. In MACRO, work was done on the development of the final version of the wave form digitizing system being implemented for the entire scintillator system. This work is nearing completion, and the system is expected to be up and running on the detector by summer 1993. Work was done within the SDC group to develop gas microstrip chambers for use in precision tracking at the SSC, and in the GEM group, toward the development of a suitable forward calorimeter design. The theoretical high energy physics program has continued the study of a very successful string-derived model that unifies all known interactions: flipped SU(5), which is the leading candidate for a TOE. Work has also continued on some generalizations of the symmetries of string theory, known as W algebras. These are expected to have applications in two-dimensional conformal field theory, two-dimensional extensions of gravity and topological gravity and W-string theory.

Description:
The high energy physics program has continued its experimental activities over. In CDF, the Texas A&M group has led an effort to design an upgrade for the silicon vertex detector, and is currently working with the rest of the collaboration on the next major data taking run. In MACRO, work was done on the development of the final version of the wave form digitizing system being implemented for the entire scintillator system. This work is nearing completion, and the system is expected to be up and running on the detector by summer 1993. Work was done within the SDC group to develop gas microstrip chambers for use in precision tracking at the SSC, and in the GEM group, toward the development of a suitable forward calorimeter design. The theoretical high energy physics program has continued the study of a very successful string-derived model that unifies all known interactions: flipped SU(5), which is the leading candidate for a TOE. Work has also continued on some generalizations of the symmetries of string theory, known as W algebras. These are expected to have applications in two-dimensional conformal field theory, two-dimensional extensions of gravity and topological gravity and W-string theory.

Description:
The goals of this research are the experimental testing of fundamental theories of physics beyond the standard model and the exploration of cosmic phenomena through the techniques of particle physics. We are working on the MACRO experiment, which employs a large-area underground detector to search fore grand unification magnetic monopoles and dark matter candidates and to study cosmic ray muons as well as low- and high-energy neutrinos; the Chooz experiment to search for reactor neutrino oscillations at a distance of 1 km from the source; a new proposal (the Perry experiment) to construct a one-kiloton liquid scintillator in the Fairport, Ohio underground facility IMB to study neutrino oscillations with a 13 km baseline; and development of technology for improved liquid scintillators and for very-low-background materials in support of the MACRO and Perry experiments and for new solar neutrino experiments.

Description:
The goals of this research are the experimental testing of fundamental theories of physics beyond the standard model and the exploration of cosmic phenomena through the techniques of particle physics. We are working on the MACRO experiment, which employs a large-area underground detector to search fore grand unification magnetic monopoles and dark matter candidates and to study cosmic ray muons as well as low- and high-energy neutrinos; the Chooz experiment to search for reactor neutrino oscillations at a distance of 1 km from the source; a new proposal (the Perry experiment) to construct a one-kiloton liquid scintillator in the Fairport, Ohio underground facility IMB to study neutrino oscillations with a 13 km baseline; and development of technology for improved liquid scintillators and for very-low-background materials in support of the MACRO and Perry experiments and for new solar neutrino experiments.

Description:
During the report period were investigated the following areas: prompt fission neutron energy spectra measurements; neutron elastic and inelastic scattering from [sup 239]Pu; neutron scattering in [sup 181]Ta and [sup 197]Au; response of a [sup 235]U fission chamber near reaction thresholds; two-parameter data acquisition system; black'' neutron detector; investigation of neutron-induced defects in silicon dioxide; and multiple scattering corrections. Four Ph.D. dissertations and one M.S. thesis were completed during the report period. Publications consisted of three journal articles, four conference papers in proceedings, and eleven abstracts of presentations at scientific meetings. There are currently four Ph.D. and one M.S. candidates working on dissertations directly associated with the project. In addition, three other Ph.D. candidates are working on dissertations involving other aspects of neutron physics in this laboratory.

Description:
During the report period were investigated the following areas: prompt fission neutron energy spectra measurements; neutron elastic and inelastic scattering from {sup 239}Pu; neutron scattering in {sup 181}Ta and {sup 197}Au; response of a {sup 235}U fission chamber near reaction thresholds; two-parameter data acquisition system; ``black`` neutron detector; investigation of neutron-induced defects in silicon dioxide; and multiple scattering corrections. Four Ph.D. dissertations and one M.S. thesis were completed during the report period. Publications consisted of three journal articles, four conference papers in proceedings, and eleven abstracts of presentations at scientific meetings. There are currently four Ph.D. and one M.S. candidates working on dissertations directly associated with the project. In addition, three other Ph.D. candidates are working on dissertations involving other aspects of neutron physics in this laboratory.

Description:
The major emphasis of this project continues to be on fundamental symmetries and parameters of the Standard Model. A test of a quark model prediction was also done. The projects in the current period have been the following: LSND, a neutrino oscillation experiment at LAMPF; E791, a search for the decays K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} {mu}e and K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} ee; E871, tests and preparations for an upgrade proposal; and E888, a search for the H dibaryon. The LSND (Large Scintillator Neutrino Detector) is under construction at this time. Progress in the construction schedule has been accelerated with the expectation of being ready to accept beam in March 1993. The automated system for testing photomultiplier tubes is in full production, and should be able to certify a fun complement of tubes for installation by October 1992. Results of an earlier LAMPF experiment, E764, on the interaction of muon neutrinos with carbon nuclei have been submitted for publication. A thorough `blind` analysis of the E791 data set has just been brought to completion. Final results for the upper limits (90% C.L.) on the branching ratios for the decays K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} {mu}e and K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} ee are 3.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}11} and 4.1 {times} 10{sup {minus}11}, respectively. The final result for the branching ratio for K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} {mu}{mu} from all the data (720 events) is (7.0 {plus_minus} 0.4 {plus_minus} 0.2) {times} 10{sup {minus}9}. The potential of the E791 detector for rare K decays has reached its limit. Before disassembly it was used to mount a search (E888) for a possible long-lived six-quark state, the H. At the same time studies have been made of an upgraded version of the experiment (E871) that will make use of a portion of the existing apparatus.

Description:
The major emphasis of this project continues to be on fundamental symmetries and parameters of the Standard Model. A test of a quark model prediction was also done. The projects in the current period have been the following: LSND, a neutrino oscillation experiment at LAMPF; E791, a search for the decays K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} {mu}e and K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} ee; E871, tests and preparations for an upgrade proposal; and E888, a search for the H dibaryon. The LSND (Large Scintillator Neutrino Detector) is under construction at this time. Progress in the construction schedule has been accelerated with the expectation of being ready to accept beam in March 1993. The automated system for testing photomultiplier tubes is in full production, and should be able to certify a fun complement of tubes for installation by October 1992. Results of an earlier LAMPF experiment, E764, on the interaction of muon neutrinos with carbon nuclei have been submitted for publication. A thorough 'blind' analysis of the E791 data set has just been brought to completion. Final results for the upper limits (90% C.L.) on the branching ratios for the decays K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} {mu}e and K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} ee are 3.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}11} and 4.1 {times} 10{sup {minus}11}, respectively. The final result for the branching ratio for K{sub L}{sup 0} {yields} {mu}{mu} from all the data (720 events) is (7.0 {plus minus} 0.4 {plus minus} 0.2) {times} 10{sup {minus}9}. The potential of the E791 detector for rare K decays has reached its limit. Before disassembly it was used to mount a search (E888) for a possible long-lived six-quark state, the H. At the same time studies have been made of an upgraded version of the experiment (E871) that will make use of a portion of the existing apparatus.

Description:
An unplanned release of tritiated water occurred at K reactor on SRS between 22-December and 25-December 1991. This water moved down through the effluent canal, Pen Branch, Steel Creek and finally to the Savannah River. Samples were collected in the Savannah River and associated waterways over a period of a month. The Environmental Technology Section (ETS) of the Savannah River Laboratory performed liquid scintillation analyses to monitor the passage of the tritiated water from SRS to the Atlantic Ocean.

Description:
Most effort was directed toward the D-Zero experiment at Fermilab. Over 3 pb[sup [minus]1] of high-quality physics data have been obtained. Analysis of the results (wino-zino physics, squark physics), D-zero data acquisition systems efforts, and level-1 and level-2 trigger work are described. Other work concerned detector development for use at the SSC. This technology consists of using liquid scintillator-filled tubes as scintillating fibers for a calorimeter.'' The key issues were to demonstrate that the liquid fibers were sufficiently rad-hard and to demonstrate that fibers with sufficiently long attenuation length could be found to satisfy the resolution requirements; both constraints could be satisfied.

Description:
The development of a low-level tritium monitor for aqueous effluents has explored several potential techniques. In one method, a water-immiscible liquid scintillation cocktail was ultrasonically mixed with an aqueous sample to form a water-cocktail dispersion which was analyzed by liquid scintillation spectrometry. The organic cocktail could then be reused after phase separation. Of the cocktails tested, the highest tritium detection efficiency (7%) was determined for a toluene-based cocktail. In another technique, the response of various solid scintillators (plastic beads, crushed inorganic salts, etc.) to tritium solutions was measured. A 2% tritium detection efficiency was observed for the most efficient solid scintillators tested. In a third method, a large surface area detector was constructed from thin fibers of plastic scintillator. This detector had a 0.1% intrinsic tritium detection efficiency. While sensitivities of {approximately}25 kBg/L of tritium for a short count have been attained using several of these techniques, non can reach the environmental level of <1 kBg/L in aqueous solutions.

Description:
The goals of this research are the experimental testing of fundamental theories of physics such as grand unification and the exploration of cosmic phenomena through the techniques of particle physics. We are working on the MACRO experiment, which employs a large area underground detector to search for grand unification magnetic monopoles and dark matter candidates and to study cosmic ray muons as well as low and high energy neutrinos: the {nu}IMB project, which seeks to refurbish and upgrade the IMB water Cerenkov detector to perform an improved proton decay search together with a long baseline reactor neutrino oscillation experiment using a kiloton liquid scintillator (the Perry experiment); and development of technology for improved liquid scintillators and for very low background materials in support of the MACRO and Perry experiments and for new solar neutrino experiments. 21 refs., 19 figs., 6 tabs.

Description:
The development of a low-level tritium monitor for aqueous effluents has explored several potential techniques. In one method, a water-immiscible liquid scintillation cocktail was ultrasonically mixed with an aqueous sample to form a water-cocktail dispersion which was analyzed by liquid scintillation spectrometry. The organic cocktail could then be reused after phase separation. Of the cocktails tested, the highest tritium detection efficiency (7%) was determined for a toluene-based cocktail. In another technique, the response of various solid scintillators (plastic beads, crushed inorganic salts, etc.) to tritium solutions was measured. A 2% tritium detection efficiency was observed for the most efficient solid scintillators tested. In a third method, a large surface area detector was constructed from thin fibers of plastic scintillator. This detector had a 0.1% intrinsic tritium detection efficiency. While sensitivities of {approximately}25 kBg/L of tritium for a short count have been attained using several of these techniques, non can reach the environmental level of <1 kBg/L in aqueous solutions.

Description:
The LSND (Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector) experiment will be performed at LAMPF in the next several years. The main goal of the experiment is to search for {nu}{sub {mu}}-{nu}{sub e} oscillations with high sensitivity; however, an increasingly important by-product of this search is to measure {nu}p {yields} {nu}p elastic scattering and determine the strange quark contribution, {Delta}s, to the spin of the proton. With the 800-MeV proton energy of LAMPF, neutrinos are produced from pion decay-in-flight with an average energy of about 150 MeV. This energy is sufficiently high so that the {nu}p {yields} {nu}p cross section is large and is sufficiently low so that the low Q{sup 2} approximation (Q{sup 2} {much lt} m{sub p}{sup 2}) is valid and the cross section can be expressed in a simple form dependent upon {Delta}s as the only unknown. LAMPF with its 1-mA proton intensity is, therefore, an ideal accelerator to perform this measurement. 12 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

Description:
The computer program SCINFUL (for SCINtillator FUL1 response) is a program designed to provide a calculated complete pulse-height response anticipated for neutrons being detected by either an NE-213 (liquid) scintillator or an NE-110 (solid) scintillator in the shape of a right circular cylinder. The point neutron source may be placed at any location with respect to the detector, even inside of it. The neutron source may be monoenergetic, or Maxwellian distributed, or distributed between chosen lower and upper bounds. The calculational method uses Monte Carlo techniques, and it is relativistically correct. Extensive comparisons with a variety of experimental data have been made. There is generally overall good agreement (less than 10% differences) of results for SCINFUL calculations with measured integral detector efficiencies for the design incident neutron energy range of 0.1 to 80 MeV. Calculations of differential detector responses, i.e. yield versus response pulse height, are generally within about 5% on the average for incident neutron energies between 16 and 50 MeV and for the upper 70% of the response pulse height. For incident neutron energies between 50 and 80 MeV, the calculated shape of the response agrees with measurements, but the calculations tend to underpredict the absolute values of the measured responses. Extension of the program to compute responses for incident neutron energies greater than 80 MeV will require new experimental data on neutron interactions with carbon. 32 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Description:
This paper describes the current status of research on an improved tritium measurement system at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the US Navy. Present tritium-in-air monitoring systems installed by the Navy can reliably measure to less than 10 {mu}Ci/m{sup 3}, but medical and safety issues are pushing measurement needs to below 1 {mu}Ci/m{sup 3}, which is equivalent to 1--10 nCi/ml in liquid samples, using calcium metal converter. A significant effort has been expended over the past 10 years by the Navy RADIAC Development Program at ORNL on various schemes to improve the detection of tritium in both air and liquid at near ambient levels. One such scheme includes a liquid flow-through system based on an NE102 sponge scintillator with dual photomultiplier tubes for the tube noise rejection. (This document also contains copies of the slides used for presentation of this paper to the IEEE 1991 Nuclear Science Symposium). 4 refs., 17 figs.

Description:
This document presents our proposal to continue the activities of Boston University researchers in high energy physics research. We have a broad program of participation in both non-accelerator and accelerator-based efforts. High energy research at Boston University has a special focus on the physics program of the Superconducting Supercollider. We are active in research and development for detector subsystems, in the design of experiments, and in study of the phenomenology of the very high energy interactions to be observed at the SSC. The particular areas discussed in this paper are: colliding beams physics; accelerator design physics; MACRO project; proton decay project; theoretical particle physics; muon G-2 project; fast liquid scintillators; SSCINTCAL project; TRD project; massively parallel processing for the SSC; and physics analysis and vertex detector upgrade at L3.

Description:
Elastic neutrino proton scattering is sensitive to the SU(3) axial isosinglet term which is in turn dependent on the strangeness content of the proton. The uncertainties in the analysis of a neutrino proton elastic scattering experiment are discussed, and an experiment which is insensitive to many of the difficulties of the previous experiment is described.

Description:
In a search for bursts of neutrons from Ti in pressurized D{sub 2} gas cells, no statistically significant deviations from the background were observed for events where five or more neutrons are detected over a ten day experiment, including 103 hours of counting with cells on, and 28 hours counting of various backgrounds. Up to four cells were used including some 60 grams of 662-Ti fillings in a pressurized cylinder with 40-60 atmosphere of D{sub 2} gas. Other Ti samples were used too. The samples were cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature and placed in front of the neutron detector while warming up to room temperature. Seven cooling cycles were used, for each sample. The neutron detector system included 12 liquid scintillator neutron detectors, arranged in a close packed geometry, with six detectors in the upper hemisphere and six in the lower hemisphere. A central detector placed 2 cm from the cells was used, in each hemisphere, as a scatterer for a time of flight coincidence measurement, yielding the total coincidence efficiency of {epsilon}=2{plus minus}1%. The system was also used in singles mode to allow for counting with large efficiency. A neutron event is characterized by measuring its pulse heights, pulse shapes, and in some cases its time of flight. Special attention was given to reducing the background by using massive shielding, cosmic ray veto counters and geometrical arrangement that allowed to distinguish between a background event and expected data events. The so obtained background rate is 100 cph in the singles mode'' and in the upper hemisphere 0.4 cph in the coincidence mode.'' We are currently continuing our data analysis in search for random emission and a detailed study of background effects that may reveal the origin of conflicting results reported on neutron emission from cold fusion.'' 3 refs., 5 ...

Description:
The 12 month period from May 1988 to July 1989 represents the first full year of our 18 month pilot program in nuclear structure research. In this period, research was initiated to develop a capability for radioactive secondary beams at Argonne National Laboratory using the Atlas and the new Fragment Mass Analyzer (FMA), which is currently under construction. Two major new detector facilities are currently in the final stages of design and testing. The Large-Area, Scintillator Telescope (LAST) detector is fully operational and will be shipped to Argonne National Laboratory in August for fit-tests and in-beam calibrations. The first segments of a new sixteen-segment neutron multiplicity detector have been built and tested. The remaining segments are currently being constructed. Research was continued in the areas of (1) Coulomb excitation studies of rare earth and actinide nuclei; (2) In-beam, gamma-ray spectroscopy of nuclei in the mass 100 region, and (3) Advanced detector design. Several journal articles and abstracts were published or submitted for publication in the reporting period, and others are currently in preparation. Three graduate students participated in the program, one from the University of Florida and two from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

Description:
The 12 month period from May 1988 to July 1989 represents the first full year of our 18 month pilot program in nuclear structure research. In this period, research was initiated to develop a capability for radioactive secondary beams at Argonne National Laboratory using the Atlas and the new Fragment Mass Analyzer (FMA), which is currently under construction. Two major new detector facilities are currently in the final stages of design and testing. The Large-Area, Scintillator Telescope (LAST) detector is fully operational and will be shipped to Argonne National Laboratory in August for fit-tests and in-beam calibrations. The first segments of a new sixteen-segment neutron multiplicity detector have been built and tested. The remaining segments are currently being constructed. Research was continued in the areas of (1) Coulomb excitation studies of rare earth and actinide nuclei; (2) In-beam, gamma-ray spectroscopy of nuclei in the mass 100 region, and (3) Advanced detector design. Several journal articles and abstracts were published or submitted for publication in the reporting period, and others are currently in preparation. Three graduate students participated in the program, one from the University of Florida and two from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

Description:
The physics of compensation calorimetry is reviewed in the light of the need of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) detectors. The four major detector types: liquid argon, scintillator, room temperature liquids, and silicon, are analyzed with respect to some of their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, general comments are presented which reflect the reliability of simulation code systems. 29 refs., 20 figs., 6 tabs.

Description:
This paper reports on the development of a new generation of neutron multiplicity counters for assaying impure plutonium. The new counters will be able to obtain three measured parameters from the neutron multiplicity distribution and will be able to determine sample mass, multiplication, and (..cap alpha..,n) reaction rate, making it possible to obtain a more matrix-independent assay of moist or impure materials. This paper describes the existing prototype multiplicity counters and evaluates their performance using assay variance as a figure of merit. The best performance to date is obtained with a high-efficiency, low die-away-time thermal neutron counter with shift-register electronics. 10 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.

Filter: Years

This dialog allows you to filter your current search.
Each of the Years listed note their name and the number of records that will be limited down to if you choose that option.
The list can be sorted by name or the count.

Having trouble finding an option within the list of Years? Start typing and we'll update the list to show only those items that match your needs.

Filter: Months

This dialog allows you to filter your current search.
Each of the Months listed note their name and the number of records that will be limited down to if you choose that option.
The list can be sorted by name or the count.

Filter: Days

This dialog allows you to filter your current search.
Each of the Days listed note their name and the number of records that will be limited down to if you choose that option.
The list can be sorted by name or the count.